To the Ombrone-Orcia Valley

CHAPTER IV ............... To the Ombrone-Orcia Valley r\.T noon on n June Fifth Army pursued the Germans northwestward with two fresh command groups directing operations. IV Corps was on the left and the FEC on the right after completion of their relief of VI Corps and II Corps respectively. Comparatively fresh troops were available for the continuance of the chase, especially in the French zone where the two FEC divisions initially committed, the 1st Motor ized Division and the 3d Algerian Infantry Division, had been out of heavy com bat nearly two weeks. Only one American division, the 36th, was in action on the IV Corps side. It had been following behind the swift advance of Combat Command A of the 1st Armored Division north of Rome. Although its men had been con stantly on the move since passing Rome, it had not been engaged in any extensive righting, its action behind the armor having been confined largely to mopping up operations. The 361st Regimental Combat Team was attached, giving the 36th Di vision four regimental combat teams. The 34th Division was resting in the vicinity of Tarquinia, where it had moved from Civitavecchia to make way for supply depots being set up near the port. The 1st Armored Division was rehabilitating near Bracciano, and the other two French divisions, the 26. Moroccan Infantry Division and the 4th Mountain Division, were in FEC reserve. The 85th and 88th Divisions were en route to rest areas south and west of Rome. Other American and British divisions around Rome were in the process of leaving Fifth Army. The 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate) was at tached to IV Corps and remained with the 34th Division. Other major VI Corps elements turned over to IV Corps were the 36th and 39th Engineer Combat Regi ments, the 1st Armored Group, and the 6th Armored Field Artillery Group of self- propelled 105-mm howitzers. The left .flank of the Fifth Army line lay along the coast well to the north of Tarquinia, forward elements of the 141st Infantry being within four miles of the 31 Orbetello Isthmus along Highway i. The I42d Infantry and 143d Infantry were inland from the highway due east of the 141st Infantry. The 117th Reconnaissance Squadron, which had been attached to IV Corps when II Corps was relieved, was working north along small roads near the right boundary of the IV Corps zone and screening the advance of the 36th Division. The 3d Algerian Division on the FEC left was within sight of Valentano, and on the right the 1st Motorized Division, advancing up Highway 2 north of Viterbo, was close to the southeastern shore of Lake Bolsena. The missions of the FEC and IV Corps remained the same as those of their predecessors: to continue to push forward in their respective zones, the FEC along the axis of the Acquapendente—Siena—Poggibonsi—Castelfiorentino road, and the Americans up Highway 1. The 91st Reconnaissance Squadron (reinforced), now with IV Corps, was preparing to cover the roads east of the 36th Division, to add strength to the Corps right flank, and to advance in the zone from which the 1st Armored Division had been relieved. In a section devoid of any major roads, it was also to maintain contact with FEC units. Enemy formations were slowly becoming more cohesive but there was no indica tion as yet that a determined stand was to be expected on the immediate front. A reported defensive line in the vicinity of Viterbo had fallen without any protracted resistance, and the enemy action continued to be of the rearguard type, weak to mod erate as the FEC began its task on the inland flank, slightly more aggressive in the coastal sector. The i62d Turcoman Grenadier Division was being encountered in strength for the first time by IV Corps, and it was evident the enemy had thrown in this fresh division in an effort to slow our pursuit. Attached to this division was the 871st Grenadier Regiment. These troops, with a sprinkling of men from many other German divisions who had been hastily organized into independent battle groups, held a' front of about 30 miles. The principal enemy element on the FEC front was the 356th Grenadier Division with a wide variety of independent units also being met in this zone. Over-all command apparently was held by XIV Panzer Corps. A. IV CORPS ON THE LEFT 11-20 JUNE The 36th Division was strongly reinforced when it took over the main IV Corps effort along the coast. (See Map No. 4.) In addition to its regularly assigned troops the division had the 361st Regimental Combat Team, the 753d Tank Battalion, and the 636th Tank Destroyer Battalion attached, while both the 91st and 117th Re connaissance Squadrons were operating in support of the division advance, the former 32 on the right and the latter largely screening the infantry advance. On n June the 117th Reconnaissance Squadron was attached directly to the division. Support ing Corps artillery and armor further backed the infantry. The immediate objective of the division was Grosseto, a medium-sized city with good airport facilities located just north of the Ombrone River near the junction of Highways 1 and 73. Grosseto is situated almost in the center of the flat valley formed by the Ombrone as it nears the sea. This valley is nearly 15 miles square and is criss-crossed by scores of small canals and drainage ditches. Between Grosseto and the advanced positions of the 141st Infantry on Highway 1 was the town of Orbetello, where causeways link the steep, rocky peninsula of Mount Argentario and its port of Santo Stefano to the mainland. Orbetello was approximately six miles beyond the front line on the morning of 11 June. Four miles north of Orbetello Highway 74 turns east from Highway 1; Grosseto is about 18 miles farther north. Low hills come almost to the beach line for much of this distance, especially in the Orbetello section, forming a defile through which Highway 1 passes. Highway 74 follows the narrow valley of the Albegna River inland; between this valley and Grosseto are more hills, while the entire eastern portion of the division zone was a mass of hills from 500 to 1000 feet in altitude, practically unbroken north to the Om brone. South of the Albegna Valley the eastern portion of the zone is almost road- less. At Magliano, four miles north of the river, a road net begins which leads northwest to Grosseto and northeast to Scansano. The main axis of the division advance continued to be Highway 1, which runs within a few hundred yards of the sea from south of Orbetello to the little town of Bengodi, five miles north of the mouth of the Albegna River. From that point the road gradually curves inland until at Grosseto it is almost seven miles from the sea. General Walker, 36th Division commander, outlined his plans at 2030, 10 June, to go into effect the following morning. During the night the 141st Infantry would relieve the 361st Infantry in forward positions along Highway 1, while the I42d In fantry would advance on Capalbio, a small village three miles inland. From Capal bio it was to push northwest parallel to the highway to reach the Magliano—Gros seto road and then advance along that axis. The 143d and 361st Infantry would be initially in reserve. The advance was to be carried out as rapidly as possible, the rate depending on the ability of artillery to displace forward to cover the foot troops. 1. Action to the Ombrone River. The 141st Infantry relieved the 361st In fantry astride Highway 1 at midnight 10-11 June in the vicinity of Nunziatelli, six miles southeast of Orbetello. The 361st Infantry had been blocked most of the previous day by heavy German artillery fire coming from the hills south of Orbetello. The relieving regiment, in column of battalions led by the 1st Battalion, moved out immediately after taking over and progressed forward two miles without opposition 33 until 0230, when leading elements walked into a German ambush and road block, heavily defended by artillery and infantry. The 1st Battalion was pinned down along the highway, while the 2d and 3d Bat talions swung off in an enveloping move to the right. The 2d Battalion attacked against Mount Capalbiaccio, a 700-foot peak about one mile north of the highway, and several lesser hills. It made some progress until the Germans counterattacked strongly in mid-morning. No friendly artillery was then in position to help repel this assault, and one company of the 2d Battalion was overrun. A force of two com panies of Germans infiltrated in the wheat fields between the 1st Battalion, still along the road, and the 2d Battalion. The 3d Battalion was rushed into this threatening gap, and the 2d Battalion, 361st Infantry, came up as additional help. Artillery support became available soon after noon, and the lines were restored along this por tion of the front by the end of the day, although the 2d Battalion was stalled in the mountains. The 2d Battalion, 361st Infantry, was sent over to back up this unit, which attacked again at 2000. The battle see-sawed fiercely most of the night until a final push at 0545, 12 June, drove the Germans off Mount Capalbiaccio, which dominated the main portion of the German position. The enemy then began a withdrawal. At noon on 12 June the 3d Battalion, 141st Infantry, was attached to Task Force Ramey, a provisional force which was committed on the right of the 36th Division.

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